Deniz is a singer from Turkey who lives in London. She has a background in law where she worked for 4 years. Recently, she started to fully dedicate to music by studying and perfectioning her skills. Thanks to her passion, determination and talent she is reaching amazing goals far from home but keeping a strong bond with her culture. We decided to interview her because she is an example of strong Mediterranean woman who works in music abroad to reach her dreams.
What do you like the most about your job?
Which one should I start with? Maybe it's a cliche, but listening to music and singing is like breathing for me. These are by far the activities that I enjoy and feel most passionate about in life. One thing I'm very clear about is that I want to make a living working in the music industry. The Master's program I am currently in is also very productive in this sense because it actively contributes to the development of my skills in business, performance and productionof the music industry. In short, what I like most is having the opportunity to realize all my ideas by using my creativity in this industry.
When did your interest in music start? When did you realize that you could actually work in this field?
My interest in music started when I was a little kid and I discovered my vocal talent very early. I sang and played the violin in various shows since primary school. I had a band in high school. I was in a large choir in college. Afterwards, I also took voice training before coming to London. Exactly at this point, I realized that I had to spend my life doing something related to music and that the work I was doing was not for me at all. Due to various personal reasons, I could not study music and did not have the opportunity to realize this dream until two years ago. But my passion for music has always occupied a part of my brain and heart. Neither the previous years nor the different jobs I did could extinguish this passion. I think that explains a lot.
What did you/are you studying at university? Was music always your career or did you start as something else and then change paths?
I graduated in law from Istanbul Yeditepe University and then worked as a licensed lawyer for 4 years. I acted as the representative of large companies, that is, I worked as a lawyer in the field of private law. Of course, as a result of my job, I traveled a lot and attended hundreds of hearings. Although I received voice and piano training while working, as it turned out, my work had nothing to do with music. However, music has always been at the center of my life since I was young. I started singing and playing the violin early in my life. It has always been my dream to be a musician, I came to London last year to chase this dream. I took a diploma course on performance at BIMM University and this year I am doing my Master's degree in Music at the same school. In addition, I am taking a comprehensive course on the UK music industry and digital marketing within the scope of the program provided by MusicAlly. I am currently working on a bilingual EP mixed with Turkish and English. My plan is to release my songs starting next month. So far I have performed in various places in London. Next April, we will have a performance with my band consisting of a set of approximately 40 minutes. This is all really exciting for me!
How was the experience of studying abroad?
Since my mother and father were medical doctors, I moved to 4 different cities since I was little. I went to university in Istanbul and continued to live there until I came to London. I was partially interested in music in all the cities I lived in but in the last two years I spent in Istanbul, I started to study voice and piano and focused on music. Initially, my goal was to go to Birghton or Amsterdam and actually, I never thought of coming to London but I found the diploma program of the school I am currently studying at and it was an unmissable opportunity for me to enter the industry. Of course, the fact that London is one of the leading countries in the music industry is one of the biggest reasons why I came here. The diploma program in question and the program I am currently studying strengthened my self-confidence and my network increased considerably.
Any music-related anecdote that you’d like to tell us?
I want to tell about a moment that I cannot forget. It's actually very ordinary but it's so vivid that I still remember it. It was the time of Covid, I was a lawyer then but everything was closed and I was working remotely. We went to my friend's summer house in Bodrum. In the evening, we were drinking wine on the terrace, looking at the stars, and talking about our dreams. Eric Clapton's version of the Beatles' While My Guitar Gentley Weeps, my favorite song in the world, was playing. There came a moment when a light bulb appeared in my head and I realized that I had to get back to music and that I couldn't do it any other way. The next day, I found a course for voice training. Every decision I made afterwards, everything that happened, every event that brought me to this point was built on that moment. I mean, you may not even be able to predict where the small investments you make in yourself can bring you. I am grateful for that moment.
Have you ever had any difficulty as a woman or noticed any differences because of that?
I have encountered the difficulties of being a woman from time to time, both in my past job and in my current job, and I still do. For example, I am interested in music production, but since I entered this sector, I have seen that production is dominated by men and women are not given opportunities in this sense and are looked down upon. In addition, due to the nature of the profession of being a musician, I have to be visible, take the stage and be active on social media. As a woman, I am sometimes exposed to verbal harassment and disturbing behavior. It wasn't much different in my past job. Unfortunately, sometimes we havee to work harder and deal with various disturbing attitudes in order to be rewarded for our success. In addition, as a result of our profession, we need to collaborate with many people and finding professional people who are free from the judgments I mentioned with whom we can feel comfortable working and with whom we can easily share our vision, is one of the issues that I have difficulty with as a woman, as well.
Who are your favorite artists and what are the songs that left their mark on you? I
have a very long list of my favorite artists, both Turkish and foreign. I can give examples of some of my favorite names that I am influenced by in my own music and some of their songs that have had an impact on me. There are so many, just to mention some there is Persephone by Tamino, Vanished World by Oi Va Voi, Limit to Your Love by James Blake and I Love You by Woodkid. Some of my favorites from Turkish artists are Story by Tuğçe&Santi, Goca Dünya by Altın Gün, Öyle Kolay Aşık Olmam by Can Ozan andGüneşe Dokundum by Köfn. However, there are many more!
How would you describe the Turkish music industry?
Recently, music in Turkey has been dominated by commercial pop, rap and indie/alternative rock genres. In addition, artists who modernize the great nostalgic songs of the time and re-release them or sing them live are very popular. There is a special admiration for the music of the 90s and before in Turkey. Indeed, music was of a different quality back then. This nostalgic music catalog is still appreciated by the public. Another thing is that artists in Turkey generally earn their income from live performances and tours.
Since you live in the UK, do you think that the British one is very different?
From what I have witnessed, the music industry in Turkey and the UK are quite different. Of course there are also similarities. There are many artists in Turkey who have achieved success and fame just by singing cover songs. However, I see that making original pieces in the UK is much more important. In Turkey, there are fewer small venues where you can perform live as a solo artist or as a band compared to the UK and there is no open mic culture. I have observed that there are truly incredible opportunities for emerging artists in London. More money can be earned through streaming in the UK but unfortunately this is limited to a small amount in Turkey.
Do you think that being from Turkey influences or has influenced your career?
Of course. Both positive and negative, A part of me has always been and will continue to be connected to my own culture in terms of music. As an artist, I am trying to create a bilingual identity for myself. I admire the melodies and scales of Turkish music and I try to create my own music by blending these melodies with my western inspirations. In this sense, it makes me very happy and excited to see how unique the music is every time I create something. Therefore, growing up with Turkish culture has a direct impact on my music and the way I sing. But of course, as a Turk and an international, in order to achieve success in the UK, I need to dedicate myself much more than a certain group of people. Naturally, it is easier for me to gain a fanbase in Turkey than in the UK. Of course, at this point, unfortunately, a little politics comes into play but ultimately, I am doing my best to gain a place for myself in this sector and I will continue to do so.
What's your favorite project you worked on?
I'm actually working on my favorite project right now. As I mentioned in the previous question, I am working on an EP. This EP will be a concept album consisting of Turkish songs, English songs and songs containing both languages. The album will also include fusion music in which I combine musical cultures. Thanks to this project, I had the chance to collaborate with many musicians and producers and I feel like my creativity is increasing day by day. It will be the first album I have released. I learn new strategies and meet new people every day and this makes me very happy.
What are your future projects?
In addition to the EP I'm working on, we are writing songs with old pop/rock influences together with a fellow musician, and we will record them in the studio soon. In addition, next April, we will have a performance with my band with whom I have performed several times and made music with jazz/blues influences consisting of a set of approximately 40 minutes. his is all really exciting for me! Moreover, for the business part, we are organizing an event consisting of a live performance and a symposium together with a large team of which I am a part of the organization team. Also, official music videos will be shooting for two of my original songs soon, which is very exciting!
Do you have any suggestions for your fellow Mediterraneans wanting to work in this industry?
Frankly, I am just starting out and adapting to this industry. However, I think that not ignoring our ties with our own culture and embracing it in both language and music wise will always have so many positive effects if we look at it from a certain perspective. This doesn't mean we shouldn't try our luck globally. While we just try our luck, we should not forget that the people who will embrace and support us the most will naturally be the people who are close to our own culture!
Do you have a specific Turkish song to suggest to our readers?
Actually, I gave a lot of music advice in the previous question, but I would never say no to giving another. I generally gave examples of modern and alternative Turkish songs. This time I will recommend an old and cult Turkish song by a very precious Turkish artist, Tanju Okan, called Öyle Sarhoş Olsam ki.
Follow Deniz here and listen to her here: